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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
PSALMS 20 AND 21
LESSON #15
HELP COMES FROM THE SANCTUARY;
CORONATION OF A KING
MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 20:5
PSALM 20, WRITTEN BY DAVID, NORMALLY IS NOT CONSIDERED A MESSIANIC PSALM BECAUSE IT ISNOT QUOTED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. HOWEVER, IT IS ABOUT THE MESSIAH. IN FACT, IT IS A PRAYERBY ISRAEL THAT THE MESSIAH BE SUCCESSFUL IN HIS PURPOSE AND WORK.
READ PSA 20:1-9
AN IMPORTANT CLUE FOR UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLE:
WHENEVER THE BIBLE CALLS GOD, “THE GOD OF ABRAHAM”, IT IS REFERRING TO ANDCALLING ATTENTION TO THE CHARACTER OF ABRAHAMS FAITH AND GODS COVENANTRELATIONSHIP WITH HIS PEOPLE. (ROM 4:3 GAL 3:6)
WHENEVER THE BIBLE CALLS GOD, “THE GOD OF ISAAC”, IT IS REFERRING TO THE NATUREOF ISAACS RELATIONSHIP TO GOD. ISAAC WAS A CHILD OF PROMISE (ROM 9:8-9). THEREFORE,IT EMPHASIZES GODS FAITHFULNESS TO FULFILL HIS PROMISE.
WHENEVER THE BIBLE CALLS GOD, “THE GOD OF JACOB”, IT IS REFERRING TO THE NATUREAND CHARACTER OF JACOB. REMEMBER THAT JACOB WAS A DECEIVER WHO DECEIVED HIS BROTHER, HISFATHER, AND HIS UNCLE UNTIL GOD CHANGED HIM. (GEN 27-32) THE EMPHASIS IS UPON THE FAITHFULGRACE OF GOD DESPITE THE REBELLIOUSNESS OF HIS PEOPLE.
WHENEVER THE BIBLE CALLS GOD, “THE GOD OF ISRAEL”, IT IS REFERRING TO THECHANGED (BORN AGAIN) NATURE OF JACOB. AT THAT POINT, GOD CHANGED HIS NAME FROM JACOB TOISRAEL. (GEN 32:24-32) THE EMPHASIS, THEREFORE, IS ON THE NEW NATURE GIVEN BY GOD TO APEOPLE WHO TRUST HIM.
PRIMARY INTERPRETATION AND PERSONAL APPLICATION:
THIS PSALM REFERS TO GOD AS “THE GOD OF JACOB” (1).
HERE IS A REBELLIOUS PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT WORTHY THAT THE MESSIAH COME. BUT GOD IS FAITHFULTO HIS PROMISE AND BY GRACE WILL SEND THE MESSIAH ANYWAY.
IT IS IN “THE DAY OF TROUBLE”, WHEN WE ARE MOST REBELLIOUS, THAT WE NEED GOD TOHEAR US.
THE HELP FROM THE SANCTUARY (2)
DAVID ASKS GOD TO SEND HELP FROM THE SANCTUARY. WHAT DOES HE MEAN?
THERE IS A HEAVENLY SANCTUARY (PSA 102:19 HEB 9:11)
IT IS THE THRONE ROOM OF GOD IN HEAVEN.
THERE IS AN EARTHLY SANCTUARY (PSA 134:2)
FOR OLD TESTAMENT ISRAEL, IT WAS THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM.
FOR BELIEVERS TODAY, IT IS THE CHURCH ON EARTH.
WHAT HELP COMES FROM THE SANCTUARY?
STRENGTH, PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL.
DISCUSSION: HOW DOES HELP COME FROM GODS THRONE ROOM THROUGH THE CHURCH TOUS?
THE REQUEST OR THE PROMISE THAT GOD REMEMBERS MY OFFERINGS. (3)
THIS VERSE CAN BE TRANSLATED EITHER AS A REQUEST BY ISRAEL OR AS A PROMISE BY GOD.
BECAUSE THERE IS A “SELAH” AFTER IT, IT PROBABLY MEANS THAT GOD PROMISES TOREMEMBER EVERY LITTLE THING WE DO TO WORSHIP HIM AND SERVE HIM.
REMEMBER THAT THE WORD “SELAH” IS A MUSICAL PAUSE WHICH MEANS, “STOP ANDTHINK ABOUT THAT!”
THE REQUESTS SPOKEN WITH FAITH (4-6):
1. GOD, DO EVERYTHING ACCORDING TO YOUR PERFECT WILL. (4)
2. GOD, FULFILL ALL YOUR PROMISES. (5)
3. GOD, HEAR MY PRAYER AND SAVE ME. (6)
NOTICE IN VERSE 5 THE PHRASE, “SET UP OUR BANNERS”.
THE ISRAELITES CARRIED TRIBAL BANNERS TO IDENTIFY THEIR PEOPLE. WHEN THEY SET UP THEBANNERS, THEY CLAIMED THE LAND THAT THE TRIBE WOULD OCCUPY.
SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING, IT IS MAKING A CLAIM TO THE PROMISES OF GOD. YOU ARE SAYINGSPIRITUALLY THAT THIS SPECIFIC TERRITORY IS MINE. IT IS A FAITH CLAIM.
WHERE IS DAVIDS STATEMENT OF FAITH?
IN VERSE 6, DAVID SAYS, “NOW KNOW I…” HE DOES NOT SAY, “I THINK”, OR”I HOPE”. HE SAYS, “I KNOW”.
THE DETERMINATION OF FAITH (7-9)
DAVID MAKES A DETERMINATION ALWAYS TO LOOK TO GOD FIRST. HE DOES NOT FIRST TRY THE THINGSOF THE WORLD, AND THEN, WHEN THOSE THINGS DONT WORK, HE TURNS TO GOD FOR ANSWERS.
WE MUST MAKE AN EFFORT TO BE LIKE DAVID AND TURN TO GOD FIRST.
“SAVE, LORD” (9)
IN THE HEBREW, THIS IS THE WORD, “HOSANNA”. IT IS BOTH A PETITION AND A PRAISE.IT WAS OFTEN REPEATED IN ISRAEL DURING THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES WHEN THEY CELEBRATEDGODS DELIVERANCE FROM EGYPT UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MOSES.
“THE KING” (9)
WHO IS “THE KING”?
IT IS JESUS CHRIST, THE MESSIAH, TO WHOM KING DAVID LOOKED FOR SALVATION..
PROPHETIC INTERPRETATION:
DAVID REFERS TO THE LORD, JESUS CHRIST, AS THE KING. HE IS THE ONE WHO SAVES US. HOWEVER,THESE WORDS IN VERSE 6 AND VERSE 9 ARE ALSO THE WORDS OF JESUS CHRIST AS GOD DELIVERS HIMFROM HELL AFTER THE CRUCIFIXION. HOW DO WE KNOW THIS?
THE WORDS, “HIS (GODS) ANOINTED” IN VERSE 6 ARE A TITLE FOR JESUS CHRIST.(LUK 4:18 ACT 10:38 HEB 1:8-9)
PSALM 21
THIS PSALM ALSO IS ABOUT JESUS CHRIST EVEN THOUGH IT IS NOT THEOLOGICALLY CALLED AMESSIANIC PSALM. IT IS NOT QUOTED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. HOWEVER, THE RELIGIOUS JEWISHAUTHORITIES ALWAYS SAID THIS PSALM WAS ABOUT THE MESSIAH. IN FACT, IT IS A CORONATION SONGMEANT TO BE USED TO CROWN THE MESSIAH KING. IT WILL BE USED TO CORONATE JESUS CHRIST INTHE MILLENNIUM.
SOME CHRISTIAN CHURCHES, THAT CELEBRATE THE HIGH HOLY DAY OF THE ASCENSION, USE THIS PSALMON THAT DAY.
READ PSA 21:1-13 THE VICTORIOUS KING
PRINCIPAL INTERPRETATION:
THIS PSALM WAS WRITTEN BY DAVID, THE KING OF ISRAEL. PERHAPS HE WROTE IT AROUND THE TIMEWHEN HE WAS CROWNED KING OF ALL THE 12 TRIBES.
READ 2SAM 5:1-5
THE JOY OF THE KING (1) BECAUSE HE HAS WON THE VICTORY.
THE KINGS PRAYER IS ANSWERED. (2-6)
DAVID FIRST WAS MADE KING OVER JUDAH. THE 12 TRIBES QUARRELED WITH EACH OTHER. THEY COULDNOT AGREE ON ONE MAN TO BE KING OVER ALL ISRAEL AFTER SAUL DIED. BECAUSE THE PROPHET,SAMUEL, HAD ANOINTED DAVID TO BE KING YEARS BEFORE THIS, WE KNOW THAT DAVID WAS GODSCHOICE. HOWEVER, THE PEOPLE WERE NOT UNITED ACCORDING TO GODS WILL. ONLY AFTER A TWOYEAR CIVIL WAR, DID DAVID GAIN THE VICTORY AND BECAME THE KING OVER ALL ISRAEL.
THE KINGS FAITH IN GOD AGAINST HIS ENEMIES (7-13)
DAVIDS ENEMIES AMONG HIS OWN PEOPLE WHO WANTED ANOTHER KING, WERE DEFEATED ANDJUDGED. BEYOND HIS ENEMIES AMONG MEN, DAVID SEES THE WORK OF SATAN WHO INFLUENCES THESEMEN TO OPPOSE THE WILL OF GOD.
PROPHETIC INTERPRETATION:
WHAT EVENT IN THE LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST DO YOU THINK THIS PSALM REFERS?
IT REFERS TO TWO EVENTS IN JESUS LIFE: THE ASCENSION (PSA 21:4 “HE ASKED LIFEOF THEE”) AND THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST (PSA 21:1). THESE TWO EVENTS AREJOINED TOGETHER IN THIS PSALM.
1. FIRST WE SEE THE VICTORY OF JESUS CHRIST OVER SATAN WHEN GOD RAISED JESUS FROM THEDEAD. HE REJOICES IN GODS SALVATION FROM DEATH IN VERSES 1 AND 4.
BUT THERE IS ALSO IN VIEW THE VICTORY OF JESUS OVER THE ANTI-CHRIST AT THE SECOND COMINGDURING THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON.
IT IS AT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST THAT JESUS ACTUALLY BECOMES KING OF THIS WORLD WHENHE ESTABLISHES HIS KINGDOM ON EARTH FOR 1,000 YEARS.
2. GOD HAS ANSWERED THE PRAYER THAT JESUS PRAYED IN THE GARDEN BEFORE THE CRUCIFIXION THATGOD BE GLORIFIED IN JESUS DEATH.
(PSA 21:2) (JOH 17:1)
BUT THERE IS ALSO IN VIEW THE ANSWER TO JESUS PRAYER IN JOH 17:24. THOSE OF US THATGOD GAVE TO JESUS WILL SEE CHRISTS GLORY IN HEAVEN AT THE SECOND COMING.
“SELAH” STOP AND THINK ABOUT THAT!
3. “HONOR AND MAJESTY HAST THOU LAID UPON HIM” (5)
JESUS WAS GIVEN HONOR AND MAJESTY IN HEAVEN WHEN HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN. HE WILL HAVEHONOR AND MAJESTY ON EARTH DURING HIS MILLENNIAL REIGN AFTER THE SECOND COMING.
4. HIS ENEMIES ARE JUDGED (8-12)
GOD GAVE JESUS VICTORY OVER SATAN AT THE RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION. HIS ENEMIES WILL BEJUDGED AT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST AND IN THE FINAL JUDGMENT AFTER HIS MILLENNIAL REIGNON EARTH.
READ 2THE 1:7-10
THERE IS A FINAL PRAISE IN PSA 21:13 TO OUR ASCENDED KING OF GLORY!
HOMEWORK
PSALM 22
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.
APPLICATION OF PSA 20 AND 21:
GIVE SOME EXAMPLES FROM YOUR OWN LIFE WHEN YOU SPECIFICALLY GOT HELP FROM THE SANCTUARY.
PREPARATION FOR PSA 22:
READ PSA 22:1-26
WHAT EVENT IN THE LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST DOES THIS PASSAGE REFER?
HOW DO YOU KNOW?
READ PSA 22:27-31
IN WHAT TIME PERIOD IS THIS PROPHECY FULFILLED?
MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 22:4
